Book Spotlight for “Past Marriageable Age” by Sudesna Ghosh

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Length: 75 pages (novella)

Format: Kindle edition

Blurb

Koel is almost 40 years old and too old to be married — according to Indian society. She's a successful lawyer and a bookworm and quite happy living like a nun until she meets Ranbir Ray. Significantly older than her, Ranbir is hot and sweet and full of pleasant surprises. Can Ranbir teach Koel about life, love and happiness in this heartwarming, fun romance?

Excerpt

That ended our privacy as we found Reema and Aditi waiting impatiently. They had a table for four next to the bar. Ranbir greeted them politely, waiting for me to slide into the sofa before he sat on it too. We were like the perfect couple. So fast. So well dressed. Familiar with each other and getting more familiar at speed.

We ordered drinks and sushi. Ranbir stole glances and smiles at me, wrapping one arm around my waist until the drinks came. Aditi shamelessly measured his every movement. Reema asked him about his business. I was ignored.

Devouring my sushi, I listened to Ranbir describe his struggles setting up business in a political culture like Kolkata and how hard it had been at first. Reema was in awe. 

Ranbir asked about Reema’s work. He said he was aware of the competition in her field and knew of some of her campaigns. That won her over. Aditi was quiet until she interrupted with a silly question.

“So Ranbir, do you think my friend and you have a future together?”

I was livid. This age gap thing was getting out of hand. I asked her to apologise. However, Ranbir wasn’t annoyed. Or he was not showing it. Instead, he told me an apology wasn’t necessary.

“Aditi is concerned about her friend. It’s a good thing,” he acknowledged.

Ranbir really was a kind man. Glaring at my friend, I waited for his answer.

Clearing his throat, he confirmed that yes, we did have a future together. 

“You see, Aditi, at my age, you don’t spend too much time thinking about what you want -- you just go after it. What I mean to say is that, I have fallen hard for your friend and I intend to keep her by my side for a long time.”

How beautiful. Tears hit my eyes. Happy tears from the heart. I saw Reema and Aditi control their tears too. Ranbir hadn’t used the word ‘love’ but I knew what he meant. I felt the same way about him from that day at the bookstore and coffee shop.

Aditi took a swipe at her eyes and asked him what a long time meant at our age.

Taking my hand in his, he declared, “It means for as long as your friend wants to be with me.”

The three of them all looked at me. I said thank you. Everyone burst out laughing. Aditi behaved well for the rest of the meal. Afterwards, Ranbir dropped her home before he dropped me. She said sorry. Dismissing it with a wave of his hand, he handed her a chocolate bar. He joked, “Now don’t say thank you, Uncle, please.”

We couldn’t stop howling. He was so funny!

About the Author

Sudesna (Sue) Ghosh is an author based in Kolkata, India. She is a graduate of University of Rochester and an ex-journalist. When Sue isn’t reading or writing, she is busy doing her best to keep her rescue cats happy. 

You can find her on Twitter @sudesna_ghosh and on Instagram @sudesna_meow

Buy your copy of Past Marriageable Age here: AMAZON

Book Spotlight: Someone Exactly Like You by Esha Pandey

Synopsis of ‘Someone Exactly Like You’ by Esha Pandey

A chance encounter, a meeting of souls, a passionate kiss, a love of a lifetime… Someone Exactly Like You!

A beautiful young girl, drenched in rain, is being chased by a couple of goons along the narrow meandering roads of Landour, Mussoorie when a swashbuckling stranger comes to her rescue. She faints in his arms and on waking up realizes she is in the company of the “bad boy” of Bollywood – Veer Singh Tomar.

Natasha Kapoor, a film student, quickly scores an internship with Veer to learn the nuances of film-making. All the while her heart is singing a different tune; slowly but steadily she falls in love with Veer.  From learning the nuances of filmmaking to coming to terms with the ‘bad-boy-image’ of Veer, Natasha has her hands full. On a stupid, drunken night they kiss. A life-changing, earth-shattering kiss, but, nothing really changes. Veer brings Natasha to a party where they are surprised to find Amyra.

A married man, Veer is dealing with messy divorce proceedings and allegations of physical abuse from his wife Amyra, a top Bollywood actress. When Veer wins the National Award, she comes back to claim what is rightfully hers.

Veer is drawn to Natasha; he wants to give in to this strong pull of desire, but his ties to Amyra are holding him back. Through the process of scriptwriting and scouting for locations in picturesque twin towns of Landour-Mussourie, Natasha and Veer gravitate towards each other.  

When Natasha gets lost in the mountains, albeit very briefly, Veer realizes his love for her, that he has finally moved on from Amyra. An episode of paragliding over beautiful Dhanaulti cements his feelings for Natasha.

Life though has other plans for Veer. Amyra wants to give their marriage another chance. When she realizes that Veer is falling in love with Natasha, she decides to make it clear that for Veer there can be no one else but her.

Meanwhile, Veer finally confesses his love to Natasha but a cruel twist of fate takes him back to Amyra. What happens next? Will Veer and Natasha get together or will Amyra get her way?

In the quintessential Bollywood style, Someone Exactly Like You is an action-packed masala story. The protagonist is a career-driven young woman who has her mind and her values in place, but once in love, she starts experiencing change. She epitomizes every young woman in the twenty-first century who doesn’t judge, is a hard worker but craves love.  

The hero is the classical lover, in a confrontation with the ghosts within. He is a tall, dark, handsome, successful, proud and caring man, who treats women with the respect they deserve but is absolutely misunderstood. Like King Lear, he is “more sinned against than sinning”.  It is a soul-searching love story with a young peppy feeling which will pull at the strings of all young hearts. 

Esha Pandey

Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book Kiss of Life and Other Stories, a collection of short stories.

Esha currently lives in New Delhi. She is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch, serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic. Over the years, Esha has worked in various capacities and various territories. She was Superintendent of Police and Commandant IRBN in Lakshadweep during 2014-16, where she wrote her first book. In Delhi, she has served as Additional DCP in Central and North District. Her posting as DCP Special Police Unit for Women and Children, in Delhi, gave her an opportunity to understand the problems faced by women, first hand. During her tenure, SPUWAC trained the highest number of girls in Self Defense and established a Limca Record.   

Esha has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.

Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons.  She can be reached at twitter.com/PandeyEsha and https://www.facebook.com/EshaPandeyAuthor/ .

Cover Reveal and a Contest: His Sunshine Girl

'Without You', my first book was published in June 2015. It brought home so much love that even before the month was over, I was thinking about writing a sequel to it. 

Then one day I came across this quote on Facebook.

 “Two damaged souls healing each other is love.”

It planted the seed of a story inside me and 'His Sunshine Girl' was born. A lot of things happened in the interim which saw me almost quitting writing, attending the famed ‘Anita’s Attic conducted by eminent author Anita Nair to hone my writing skills, and also a lot of hustle in between.

I am very grateful to Anita Nair ma’am, who was kind enough to evaluate my manuscript and give valuable feedback. The very fact that she loved the book gave me enough courage to go ahead and publish it. 

I have borrowed lots from the world I have seen and experienced to create this love story. 

Many of you might find traits of yourself in Vishal and Shalini. 

Arundhati Mukundan, the much loved 'Ammamma' from 'Without You' comes with a bigger role this time. Ananya and Arjun appear alongside a few other characters whom my beta readers have loved. 

This is a standalone story and will make sense even if you haven't read 'Without You.'

It is also a story where I talk about an issue that is close to my heart. Discrimination based on skin colour.

So without much ado, let me reveal the cover...

Blurb:

Shalini is dusky and has faced body shaming throughout her life because of it. She has gone through a lot in her life, including a failed marriage and divorce, and is at a crossroad when the story begins.

She arrives in Sreepuram as the live-in literary assistant to Arundhati Mukundan, an eminent author.

Dr.Vishal, the prankster cousin of Ananya from 'Without You', has seen love and loss at close quarters.

When the two meet in Sreepuram, it is a reunion of two childhood friends who were once inseparable.

Will their friendship help them heal?

Can the two damaged souls heal each other?

Isn't friendship turning into love the most beautiful thing on earth?

This beautiful cover is courtesy, my two wonderful cousins. Siraj Kannada, the photographer, and Naveena T.V, the pretty model.

Siraj Kannada, who has worked in the movie ‘Bonsai’ as still photographer is also a much in demand wedding photographer. 

Check his Instagram Profile to see more through his lens: Siraj Kannada

Check his Facebook page to contact for assignments: Chameleon

Naveena is graduating in English Literature and is a talented dancer herself.

Thank you dears for this wonderful photo.

CONTEST:

Dear readers, what do you think about discrimination based on skin colour? 

Comment below and the two best comments will win a free copy of my book.